Fantasy vs. Sci-Fi

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Have you ever found yourself imagining that you were soaring through the sky on a flying unicorn? Or have you found yourself imagining that you were battling aliens with spaceships in space? Do you discover yourself reading books about mythical creatures like vampires, werewolves, elves, or fairies? Or do you discover yourself reading books about an upcoming inevitable war with aliens?

The answer is simple really, it all just depends on your taste. Most people find that they prefer certain genres over others, which is very common considering how everyone is unique in their own way. Some people prefer science fiction since it’s about survival and is more realistic to the real world than the fantasy genre is. However, others may prefer fantasy considering its creativeness that enables people to experience a new world, whether it’s through a book, show, or movie.

Throughout our childhood, fantasy has always been a genre that has stood out amongst us. Whether it was through watching Disney movies about our beloved princesses, or increasing our imagination by reading about mythical creatures, fantasy has always been that genre that will help people escape from reality and explore the imaginative depth of their minds.

“Fantasy plays with your creativity side of mind and it gets you to expand your horizons on different worlds”, says junior Lexi Williams.

Most classics and movies that we have watched as a child were, in some aspect, a part of the fantasy genre. Literature classics such as Harry Potter, Lord of The Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia were turned into movies that only furthered our childhood development with fantasy more. Without the fantasy genre, life would be boring and dull. The fantasy genre is unique, given that it develops the creativity and imagination of everyone. It not only gives people a glimpse into a new, imaginary world, it also gives people the inspiration to step out of the box and realize their own creativity and imagination. This can spark interests in people to become amazing writers, journalists, directors, and even film makers. Even if some people may stray away from the fantasy genre and become attached to other genres later on, there’s always going to be a youthful aspect of them that will continue to love the genre deep within their hearts.

“I like how the characters are presented, like how the protagonists and antagonists are really easy to differentiate between,” says sophomore Taylor Conti.

Although fantasy is one of the most imaginative genres of all time, there are no doubt a few negatives that go along with the genre. Sometimes, the genre can be too unrealistic which makes it hard for the audience to develop a deep connection within it. For example, in the Wizard of Oz, there’s no way that a person could be transported all the way to a magical world from Kansas because of a tornado, it’s just not physically possible. There’s also the fact that sometimes shows, movies, or books may bite off of one another by creating a world that has already been invented. For example, some shows may follow the lead of others by creating werewolves, vampires, elves, etc. into existence when it has already been done before. This only makes the audience feel as if the fantasy genre is repetitive and lacks the creativity to step outside of the box typical of the genre.

“In many fantasy works, the same themes appear over and over again, so at some point it can get boring as you see the same thing happen all the time,” says junior Tiana Phillips.

Also, some shows, movies, and books within the fantasy genre rush into new things without an explanation. Sometimes the genre tries to invent new elemental ways of intriguing the audience, but it does the opposite effect by confusing them instead. It’s hard to continue to watch a genre that creates new things without explaining them, which can cause the audience to lose interest and wonder why a certain event even happened.

“I don’t like how some things aren’t explained in fantasy, you’re just left to just guess,” says sophomore Jadyn Duropan.

Through every generation, the most influential films are often science fiction. With so many subcategories to this exquisite genre, there is never an end to the possibility in the creative output. Some of the greatest films of all time are science fiction, like the Star Wars series, Blade Runner, and ET the Extra-Terrestrial. So many great films are science fiction, it’s undeniably the best genre out there.

“Sci-fi has more action than fantasy and whenever I watch a sci-fi movie, it’s so interesting and exciting, I just get stuck watching it,” says sophomore Brooklynn Harris.

The genre of science fiction also goes into the realm of written fiction, as numerous books hold the title of sci-fi. The great thing about science fiction is that it can have so many variations; there is definitely one for every person out there. A favorite of many in recent years is dystopian; set in a crumbling society, the protagonist usually has to find a way to survive, with popular examples being “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins and “The Maze Runner” by James Dashner. While on one side of the genre, there is destruction; the other side there is the perfect world, a utopia. Whether you’re looking for happiness or death, science fiction has something for you.

“Sci-Fi is so much better than fantasy. I like the idea of traveling through space and finding out new places, new things, and new people,” says senior Kevin Benitez.

Although science fiction is one of the best genres of all time, there are no doubt a few negatives that go along with this genre. In some ways, it can be a bit too realistic and serious. For some, the science part distracts from the story itself. There can be too much of a scientific element, where instead of it being entertaining, it’s more of a documentary.

“I’m not a huge fan of science fiction because I normally don’t understand and it can sometimes be complicated,” says senior Ashya Turner.

Another thing many do not like about science fiction is that there is always something incorrect when it comes to the science. Whether it be the time it would take to travel to a distant planet or if something is even plausible, even the smallest details can be found to be wrong. No matter how many times a movie is fact checked, sometimes in order for the movie to be interesting, some adjustments must be made.

“A lot of science fiction films have a lot of untrue facts about science in general, especially when it comes to astronomy, and being a science nerd myself, it’s definitely a pet peeve of mine,” says junior Tiana Phillips.

However, despite the negatives of both genres, it depends only on what the audience prefers. Not everyone is going to like the same genre and that’s the purpose of being unique. Trying to understand others preferences might just change the way you view the world, or in this case, the genres. Always try to understand and accept how other people may feel towards their specific genre since it doesn’t really matter which genre people prefer; unless you have to see a movie with them, then it does. So take risks, explore the fantastic world of media in its many forms and genres. It just might blow your mind how disliking something can magically turn into loving it.